The present invention relates to merchandise display hooks, and more particularly to a two-part swiveling display hook which includes a base member, adapted to be mounted on a shelf, panel or other display fixture, and a wire-like merchandise display arm, which is mounted on the base member for swiveling movement about a predetermined axis, typically vertical, but possibly slightly angled from the vertical.
It is known in the prior art to assemble two-part swivel hooks of the above described type by forming the wire-like display hook element to have a generally vertical mounting portion, which extends through aligned openings in the base member. The lower end of the vertical mounting portion is "staked" or otherwise deformed so that, after assembly, the two parts cannot be separated. A common manufacturing technique for this purpose involves staking of the wire element after assembly of the wire element to the base. The parts are then permanently joined.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,135, granted to Trion Industries Inc., illustrates a two-part swivel hook arrangement in which the wire-like display element is staked at the lower end of its mounting portion prior to assembly with the base member, and the base member is designed to receive the staked wire element only in a predetermined rotational orientation, which orientation is not permitted in the normal functioning of the device. Thus, in the patented device, while it is possible to separate the two parts after assembly, it requires demounting of the hook and performing special operations in order to do so, which is desired in order to prevent unauthorized and/or unattended disassembly.
The present invention is directed to the general type of two-part swivel hook assembly, in which the mounting portion of the wire-like display hook member is staked prior to its assembly with the base. In addition, and as a significant feature of the invention, the base member is so designed and configured as to completely conceal and protect the lower end extremity of the wire mounting portion, thus preventing any accidental contact with that portion by a person's hand. In the device of the present invention, the hook and mounting arrangement is uniquely designed so that a portion of the sheet metal base member underlies the raw end of the hook mounting portion, so as to preclude any contact.
In the display hook of the invention, a sheet metal base member has a generally horizontally disposed U-shaped or J-shaped configuration, forming an upper guide portion and a lower support portion. Intermediate these portions, a tab-like section of the sheet metal base member is punched out to form a lower horizontal guide portion. The upper and lower guide portions are provided with openings for the reception of the vertical mounting portion of the wire display element, with the lower extremity of the wire mounting portion resting upon and being supported by the horizontally disposed lower support portion of the base member. In addition to concealing and protecting the lower extremity of the wire mounting portion, the lower support allows the outwardly extending, merchandise support portion of the display element to be disposed at a convenient level above the top of the base member. This is important where, as is fairly typical, the device is mounted on the front edge of a shelf and projects outward into the aisle space.
Pursuant to the invention, the wire mounting portion is staked before assembly to the base member, and the wire receiving openings formed in the guide portions of the base member are of a "keyhole" configuration. The orientation of the keyhole openings is such, in relation to the orientation of the staked "key" on the mounting portion of the display element, that the display element is required to be rearwardly oriented--that is approximately 180.degree. away from the normal display position--in order to be able to assemble the display element into the base member. Appropriate means are provided to thereafter prevent or impede the display elements from being positioned in the assembly orientation, in order to prevent subsequent unintended disassembly of the device. In many cases, such means comprises a label holder or similar device fixed to the base member in obstructing relation to the display element. In other cases, the presence of merchandise cards, for example, may be relied upon to prevent unintended disassembly.
For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and to the accompanying drawings.